Smallville: The Skull
by ghostrider1987175
Summary: A new hero has arrived in Smallville with a dark agenda. As Zod and his army of Kandorians prepare to fight this new "hero" is distracting the team from what they really need to be doing. Takes place two episodes before "Salvation".
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

Once he was a nerd at Smallville high school he now is the most successful business man in the country, next to Queen Industries and Luthor Corp. After graduating from high school he went to Harvard University with a bachelors of law in one year, his masters in business in two years, and then finally he obtained three doctorates in Astrophysics, Chemistry, and advanced robotics. His name is Drake Lionheart and he was CEO of Lionheart industries, and he believed that the Red-Blue-Blur was the person behind the saves when he was in high school back in Smallville and he was determined to find out who this man was. However, right now he had other priorities to take care of at this particular moment.

* * *

Drake was sitting across his desk in his black vest, black dress shirt, red tie, black pants, and black cowboy boots. Sitting across from him was Lois Lane a journalist with the Daily Planet. He then put his fit up on the desk and she asked, "Drake tell me why start your own business?" He smiled and said, "Well I grew up in Smallville where I witnessed Luthor Corps first hand dealings, and many of those practices where very unethical. I decided that there hat to be a company out there that needed to step up to other companies that practice unethical practices." The next question was about the new tech suit that was suppose to be finished but because the military wanted it Drake wanted it to be used for the good of mankind. Finally the questions were done being asked so he decided to go into his lab and finish that tech suit for something else. He knew that who ever wore this would be impervious to harm, bullet proof, fire proof, could withstand the worst conditions. Eventually he knew that it would be used for law enforcement just based on how impervious it was. The only problem was that if it fell into the wrong hands it could be the destruction of the whole world. Just then his robotic assistant I.O.N or Integrated Operating Network said, "Sir, shall I run the test on the meteor fragments." Drake simple nodded I.O.N was more than an assistant he was his friend and confidant. Just as he put the finishing touches on the suit, a voice sprang from behind and said, "Mr. Lionheart, Tess Mercer sends her regards." Just as Drake turned around to see who got into his secret and private laboratory………………………………………………………….**BOOM!** All faded into black.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Drake finally awoke in the lab and said in an ominous voice that did not sound like his voice had in the past, "I.O.N, I thought the blast destroyed the lab?" Of course I.O.N being as obedient as ever to his creator said, "Yes sir it did, but you have been unconscious for five months." Drake realized that the blast must have seriously injured him in some way. So he asked, "I.O.N, how bad was the damage to my body?" I.O.N looked down and then said, "Sir before you freak out about the current situation and the amount of damage you sustained to your body, there is something you must know first. First of all the damage that you sustained was primarily targeted in your face. Secondly, the only reason you survived was a combination of two things one meteor rock radiation and metahuman DNA that had lied dormant within you since birth. The meteor rock radiation must have awoken it during the blast." Drake understood what it mend and he grabbed the mirror out of I.O.N's mechanical hands, and what he saw staring back at him was his own skull. Where there was once skin was just bone, where there was once eyes lied, now there was only deep black holes and how he was able to see was a mystery even to him. As his anger grew inside of him where there were once eyes began glowing red orbs and his hand began to metal the mirror. I.O.N said, "Another thing that should be noted sir that you powers include immortality and from more test you seem to be absorbing energy that is projected to you. This is in large part due to a mutation in your DNA that happened because of your years of green meteor rock exposure." Drake just simply nodded and said, "I believe I can use this new power and disfigurement to my advantage, my voice has changed which means I need to develop a…." I.O.N stopped him in mid sentence and said, "Sir, yes I have taken the liberty of preparing a voice modulator that you can wear on your voice box to speak like you use to when you are in public or around people. I have also taken the liberty of using Lionheart Industries plans for the synthetic skin for burned victims to make a mask for you to wear. The only problem will be is the fact your eyes have either disappeared or have sunken into your skull, which means you will have to wear sunglasses every where." Drake said, "I do not know what I would do without you I.O.N, next order of business was the tech suit at all damage or did it live up to expectations." I.O.N replied, "Indeed it did, impervious to harm nothing damaged not even the electronic components." Drake said, "Very good, because I have plans for these new abilities that I have acquired thanks to the attempted murder by Tess Mercer and I would like to repay her for it in full. As a man I could do so much as a vigilante I can do things that the Red-Blue-Blur could never do. What needs to be done with the criminals is send them to a higher judge than a mortal one." I.O.N said, "An old west kind of justice can never be good sir, however you have a logical point statistically most criminals are repeat offenders. However, you will need an alter ego to accomplish this new venture you are undertaking." Drake thought if he had lips a big smile would come across my lips and he said, "The Skull." I.O.N and Drake through the night preparing for this new venture Drake was undertaking, the tech suit would be his signature look but it needed to be upgraded to a more conventional means and less bulky than it was.

Meanwhile, across town at the Watchtower Chloe and Oliver lay in bed together after a night of their special arrangement. Oliver then suddenly got a phone call from someone at his office and he picked it up and the person on the other end of the line said, "Your meeting with Drake Lionheart is still on for today Mr. Queen, even though he has been reportedly injured for several months now." Oliver said, "Yes I know but he is still the most ethical person in Metropolis and the manufacture of the technology I need for the special project." After arguing for a few minutes on the phone, Oliver hung up and Chloe said, "You are talking about the meteor rock stock pile Drake has collected over the years and the computer chip needed to protect Watchtower from Checkmate." Oliver nodded and said, "Only way we can protect the world from two fronts the government and Zod. What do you know about Drake I know he was from Smallville High School and graduate with your class right?" Chloe turned to face Oliver in bed and said, "Yes but we only had a few classes together mainly the science classes. He was a genius at science and helped me on several projects. One thing that he was really like me in was the fact that he was wanted to know more about meteor infected people, and Clark. He thought that meteor infected and Clark were connected, of course he just knew it was some super being saving people and not Clark. I do know that he has funded billions in to helping people with meteor infections integrate their abilities into society. The person that you need to talk to that really knows Drake is Clark they were neighbors and friends. Only other thing that I can offer is that Drake's parents where killed in the second meteor shower, he went off to Harvard, and still kept his family farm." Oliver nodded and got up and got dressed for his meeting with Drake.

Drake put on the synthetic skin and his sunglasses and got dressed all in black and said, "I.O.N, I want those guns here tonight, because I want to go on a first mission tonight. Remember it's the Colt Single Action revolver which I should be getting two of them, two M1911 Colts." I.O.N nodes as Drake walked through the secret door way behind his bookshelf and once he walked through it the doorway closed behind him. Next he proceeded to his desk and stat down behind it. At about noon Oliver Queen arrived and discussed plans for a partnership in technology but something troubled Drake, he knew that something that Queen was telling did not make sense and could sense he was lying. Drake decided to go along with the partnership for now until he found out what Oliver Queen was really wanting with the advance microchip and some meteor rocks he had collected.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Drake worked in the privacy of his office and as soon as the sun was beginning to set, he got up and went to his bookshelf. He hid the doorway to his secret lab in the bookshelf because of the reason that he knew no one would touch it. With today's automated books he knew a lot of people would just ignore a hard cover book. Little did they know that behind a comic book of Iron Man, was secret laboratory that he could work on secret projects for weapons or peace. Something about Tony Stark was a man trying to make a difference and it made Drake want to do the same thing as in that comic book and that's why he choice it as the book to open his. As the bookshelf lifted up the doorway opened with the mechanical noise, so Drake walked through taking off his sunglasses as the bookshelf and the door closed behind him. As he walked down the long tunnel to his laboratory he began to take off his synthetic skin and the voice augmenter. He was beginning to step into his alter ego of the Skull he knew what job he had to do and that was punish the wicked. Not like his comic book hero would have done but Drake was not going to waste his life on the comic book world anymore. He knew someone had to strike back at the heart of darkness, with something as dark or even darker. The Skull was the answer to that call. Drake took off his jacket, tie and black shirt. I.O.N was there to take everything and hang them up for his creator and he said, "Sir, your order has arrived however some had to be placed on back order because they are collector's items as you know. You do have "Peacemaker" but the Colt M1911's have not come in and will not be in for at least a week. I tried to convey the utmost urgency for it but they were not going to hear any of it." Drake just simple nodded as he stood their in a white beater and stepped into the tech-suit. Instead of having a big bulky one, he simply converted into a breast plate and arm coverings. It would enhance someone's strength to 1000 times a normal human, and being that he had the ability to absorb the energy of someone else's attack and turn it against them. It could mean that the suit would triple that power. I.O.N after hanging up the business attire came back with a black trench coat made of leather and said, "Sir, I took the liberty in making something that would make you look more menacing. This jacket is made from material that we use for the astronaut's which means it's flame retardant but not bullet proof please be careful." Drake put it on and then the Peacemaker around his waist I.O.N looked at him and said, "You look like Death." Drake laughed and said, "No, I'm not death. I am the bringer of death, the bringer of vengeance, the bringer of absolute justice." He sat on his motorcycle and sped off down a spiraling tunnel that led to the street below.

* * *

It was just a typical night at the Luthor Corp. industrial plant in the warehouse district of Metropolis. Ted the security guard was making his rounds through the plant like had done on any typical night. Nothing had happened in this particular plant unlike the others in the past years. He began to listen to the night and out of no where there was a sound of a roaring motorcycle, all he could think about was stupid kids. As he was turning the corner toward the meteor rock research lab………………………………………….**BOOM!** Ted was blown back to the wall behind him as dust, pipe, brick, and cement all flew everywhere. Ted immediately got up drew his pistol and said, "Freeze!" He was half expecting to see some thief with a gun on him but as the smoke and debris cleared, that wasn't what Ted saw. What he saw was a man, but it wasn't no ordinary man he had the body of the man but his head was a skull. There were no eyes that he could tell but when the creature turned to look at him, the eye sockets began glowing red as fire. Ted just stood their frightened he was 73 years old and he thought he had seen everything, his hand began to shake and he could feel his pants leg get wet. Because of how bad he was shaking he shot his gun at the creature's arm but it bounce right off. The creatures eyes got redder and it spoke to him and said, "RUN!" Ted did not have to be told twice he dropped his gun and got the hell out of their, he was not ready to die yet. He radioed in for the police to come, all the Skull could think about at that moment was I.O.N is going to kill me when he got back. He got off his bike and walked down the hall to the meteor rock room as he walked down there he absorbed as much electricity as he could. Upon reaching the meteor rock research lab he sent a gigantic bolt of electricity forward through the room destroying the search and the meteor rocks as well and taking out half the building with it. The Skull walked back to his bike got on it and sped away from the scene but unlucky for him Metropolis PD caught him so they chased. The Skull took them on a high speed chase through the city but eventually losing them. As he was driving down the more desolate part of Metropolis heading back to his secret lab, he was knocked off his bike by a mysterious force. The Skull just laid their for a moment unable to move just simply in a daze, then a breeze of wind stopped in front of him as he got up. In the shadows he saw the Blur and his new symbol the S shape on his chest, the Blur replied, "Isn't it a little early for Halloween?" The Skull chuckled and said, "Isn't it dangerous to knock someone off a moving bike going 80MPH." The Blur said, "Not if he is endangering human lives." The Skull walked toward the Blur still unable to see his face and he said, "I liked you better in Red and Blue it suit you." The Blur said, "Things change, I know that I've had my problems with Luthor Corp, but it does not give you the right to endanger innocent lives." The Skull said, "If I wanted to hurt the people in that building I would have attacked in broad daylight, I just wanted to send a message. However, as much as I respect what you are doing its time for a new player in the game so just say out of my way." Using the suit and the force he absorbed from the Blur's blow he knocked the Blur clean in the air sending him flying into the next state over. The Skull chuckled to himself got on his bike and sped off into the night he had accomplished what he set out to do this night.

* * *

Drake was asleep on the lab table as morning came he had a busy night and did not realize how much exerting his new powers. I.O.N came in and displayed the Daily Planet on the gigantic computer screen, remembering how before the robotic body he was only an A.I computer program. However, I.O.N was connected to everything in the world at all times event he computers in the lab. He could call upon anything at anytime for his creator, he was the most advance piece of technology on the face of this planet. Drake woke and sat up and looked at the first headed line that read _Costume Freak Terrorized Warehouse District of Metropolis_. I.O.N said, "Written by Lois Lane and Clark Kent, apparently Lois thinks that the destruction of Luthor Corp was justified based on what they have done in the past. Clark Kent on the other hand had a different opinion he thinks that the vigilante should have used other means." Drake said, "I guess I have made my first strike against Tess Mercer now I will go after the man who did this to me." He pointed to his face and kept reading the article and realized that the next article that will be written about the Skull will be about the murder he will not be looked upon as a hero but the judge, jury, and executioner. I.O.N said, "Sir, if you don't mind me making a clear observation but I feel that this persona is taking a turn to the dark part of the human soul." Drake said, "I am in full control of what I have become once this is over I will only go after the worst offenders of humanity." I.O.N did not believe his creator one bit he could tell that the more that Drake came down the tunnel of the Skull he would become darker and there could be a potential for his creator not to be able to tell right from wrong. However, that was another issue all together but he knew that his creator loved the work he does and to take his mind off the revenge mind frame he would tell him the good news he found. I.O.N said, "The analysis came back on the meteor rock I found out where they came from. They are planet fragments however the planet is no longer there, there is remnants of a supernova explosion or some other cause. Dr. Virgil Swan found it first and found the name as Krypton." Drake then put two and two together and realized that the Blur is not from this world, no meteor infected or metahuman had powers like that. Which explains his abilities the alien radiation mutated his DNA.

* * *

Meanwhile, across town at Watchtower Clark was telling Chloe and Oliver about the man who kicked his ass last night. Clark said, "This guy had my kind of strength and knocked me into another state. Now his face did not look like any mask I've seen it actually looked like an actual skull." Oliver said, "According to Ted the security guard that called in the cops, said it was an actual skull. He was also bullet proof." Chloe then pulled up the security cam video of Luthor Corp warehouse that showed what the Skull did to the meteor rock. Chloe analyzed the video and said, "He is absorbing the electricity and then he used it and blew up the entire lab." Oliver said, "Do you think he is a Kandorian?" Clark shook is head and said, "He would have become weak because of the meteor rock. I think he could either be an escaped Phantom I missed or a meta human gone rouge." Chloe said, "I'll continue to scan the city and see if there is anymore sightings of this man because who ever he is we need to stop him." Oliver said, "We should stake out any Luthor Corp. facility because he will probably strike their. Which means Tess did something that has pissed this guy off."

**Note to Readers: Yes I know that Tony Stark/Iron Man is not part of DC Universe but I am a big fan of Tony Stark and I kind of modeled the character of Drake out of Tony Stark. Forgive me and keep reading there is more to come. I also figure that what other comics are in the DC Universe besides Warrior Angel.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Once again night falls on the city of Metropolis Drake begins to take his finally leap into his alter ego. This time he will not cause vandalism, this time he is set to decide who lives and who dies. For the most part the man who made him the way he was, had no chance to live tonight was not about showing mercy it was about showing vengeance. He remembered the tales of Jonah Hex a man who came back a changed man, scared for life. Now he was this time periods Jonah Hex but he was a vigilante not a bounty hunter. He was fully dressed by the time I.O.N reported and said, "Sir, are you sure you want to go through with this it is a big step to kill a man in cold blood." His black holes began glowing red and he replied, "COLD BLOOD! Look at me I am a monster I can not go outside like this, try a normal relationship who would want this to wake up to every morning. My only remorse and motivation is to cause as much pain to the people who did this to me as possible. Vengeance is the only thing keeping me sane." Drake thought to himself sane who is this sane in all rationality he was not being sane; it could have been the meteor radiation affecting him. No, it was his own motivation that the Skull brought out in him a chance to live out his darkest part of his heart. I.O.N just turned away and said, "I went through Virgil Swan's database took me all day to hack through his encryptions but I have found out there was one survivor from the exploding planet. Kal-EL, so our Blur's name is Kal-El." The Skull nodded and say, "At least I do not have to call him the Blur anymore if I meet up with him. Tonight I am actually hoping to run into someone else the Emerald Archer or Green Arrow." I.O.N said, "If you keep meeting these vigilante's every night one day they will catch on to who you are, and if that happens will try to bring you down. Even though you will most likely win out due to your powers, but they could out you to the world and leave you with nothing but your family farm." The Skull just ignored I.O.N something he never does I.O.N knew that his creator was going down a dark road, one that there could be no turning back from. He knew that he had to find someway to cure this insanity that The Skull was creating for his creator.

* * *

Marcus Longfellow sat in the state room he was provided by his employer Tess Mercer while she looked into the recent break in and destruction at the LuthorCorp. factory. This was the first time that one of his employers ever did this for him; he was a gun for hire. He had killed many people and he was good at it, even if they had a weapon he was able to disarm them neutralize within seconds. This time he injured a business man and scientist who were causing some type of economic turmoil for his boss. He read the paper about the Skull and had a funny feeling in his gut that this person was not targeting Luthor Corp for any reason but revenge. He was after Tess Mercer and if he was after Tess Mercer then that means he was after him, but then again he could be some thief with special powers. There was nothing to get worried about he had a nice room, unlimited room service and anything else he might want. He was living like a king and he was going to milk every minute of it, and the best part of all he was costing him nothing. As he was finishing reading the Daily Planet all of a sudden there was a knock on the door. He went to ignore it because his employer told him no visitors unless it was of the hooker kind and even then run it by the bodyguards. Then the knocking became pounding on the door. Marcus finally got up and was about to open the door when the door exploded in front of him, splinters landing in his face. He fell to his knees screaming out in pain and as the dust cleared through the doorway came the man from the paper. The Skull said in a demonic unearthly voice, "Marcus Longfellow, it is time to pay for your sins." The Skull grabbed Marcus and tossed him into the fire place and Marcus's legs caught on fire. The Skull laughed and said, "You are a professional hit man that goes after the weakest of enemy's women, children, scientist in their labs." Marcus knew what the Skull was here for; he was here for what he did to Drake Lionheart. The Skull then grabbed a knife that was on the table and cut out one of Marcus's eyes, blood spud out of the wound. Then the Skull tossed Marcus still screaming from all the pain out on to the balcony. Marcus got up on his knees and started to beg for his life, "Please, I will do anything even tell you who hired me just don't kill me man, please don't kill me." Marcus began to wet himself from all the fear. The Skull just chuckled and said, "Mercy, you ask for mercy. You will find know mercy here because I am the sword of justice and I am the bringer of death." Marcus got up on to his knees and rushed the Skull hoping to take advantage of a good situation, however The Skull pulled his "Peacemaker" from his holster with lightening speed and shot Marcus in the head. The speed of the bullet plus the speed of Marcus sent Marcus flying backward over the balcony down fifty stores on to a nice Mercedes owned by Tess Mercer who happened to be leaving. She looked up and saw the Skull looking down from her and realized that the Skull was after her all along.

* * *

The Skull was already on the roof by the time the Metropolis PD got to the scene and no one had seen him run up to the roof. Well almost no one, across on another rooftop aided by Watchtowers police ban scanner he had picked up word of a Skull like man killing a Marcus Longfellow, hired gun. As the Skull was nearing where he had parked his bike, the Green Arrow shoots an electric arrow at him of course the Skull absorbed that energy. Arrow said, "That should have put you down." The Skull turned and Oliver could tell that was no mask that was his actual face no doubt. The Skull says, "My abilities are very unique I have the ability to heal and the ability to absorb all energy and use it back on anyone ten times that of what they used on me." Arrow knew he was in trouble but he still held his ground even with Chloe screaming in his ear get the hell out of their and come back to Watchtower. The Skull said, "How did you like my little show of justice?" Arrow said, "That's a bit harsh don't you think even guys that kill deserve a second chance." The Skull chuckled and said, "People who do evil on others deserve harsh punishment that will end crime once and for all and bring about a peace in the world." Arrow thought that this creature or man had a point but he had traveled that dark road before and he knew it all to well, but thanks to his friends he was saved. Arrow said, "Maybe it doesn't have to be if there are heroes like us trying to make the world a better place even if we have to recapture criminals that should have been put away permanently." The Skull said, "There is only my form of justice." Arrow knew there was no reasoning with him, he fired one of the arrows right at the man's head and it went through the face or the skull that was his face. The Skull fell to the ground and Arrow said, "You aren't getting up from that." He goes over to retrieve the arrow and as he pulled it out he watched as the wound healed itself. Arrow said, "Oh crap." The Skull reached out and electrocuted Green Arrow to the point where his heart stopped and then he jumped down on this bike and sped away.

* * *

Chloe sat at Watchtower and began to cry as she saw that Oliver was dead at the hands of the Skull. She called Clark and he rushed over and started Oliver's heart again. Oliver began to cough and said, "Thanks." Clark said, "Don't mention it, but what were you thinking going up against him Oliver. His powers are strong even stronger than mine." Oliver said, "Thought I could reason with him but it turned out that I couldn't really do that." Clark helped Oliver up and then Oliver said, "But I got a real good look at that chest plate he wears and I've seen that technology before and it belongs to Lionheart Industries." Clark paused and said, "Drake is supplying this man with the tools he needs to kill. That does not seem like him, were friends all growing up." Oliver said, "People change Clark, I think it is time to do some digging into your friends past and my business relationship with him can make a good cover for that." Chloe said, "No you and Clark go at least you'll have backup in case Drake has a superhuman bodyguard to help take out people he thinks are a threat to him."

* * *

Drake woke up once again in his lab and saw the headlines that read The Skull official a wanted criminal. Once thought as a protected to the metropolis now he no more than a criminal that is set out to bring out old west type of justice. He read it and smiled and thought to himself that it was working, he was causing fear and when feared it would cause a permanently end the crime in the city. As he began to work on mortifications to his armor I.O.N said, "Sir Clark Kent and Oliver Queen are here to see you shall I have Ms. Jones have them wait." Drake turned to I.O.N and said, "No tell Ms. Jones that Oliver Queen is now a business rival and I do not wish to speak to the press any further." I.O.N did as his creator told him to do and the two men left talking and I.O.N knew that they were talking about his creator. I.O.N knew that his creator had gone deep into the darkness that his alter ego has created for him, and he knew that he was the only one that could find a cure to his madness.


	5. Chapter 5

**CHAPTER 5**

*******Note to my readers before you continue this story, there are five more chapters I think planned out unless I get a lot of support to continue the story. The rest of the story takes place about 5 weeks after the appearance of the Skull. Lois has been trying to track down the book of Rao. While Clark, Chloe, Oliver, Hawkman, and John Jones try to find out who the Skull is and what he wants with Tess Mercer. Drake has become increasingly dark now and has taken his form of justice to the political arena tracking down corrupt politicians in Metropolis. I.O.N is trying to reverse what the meteor rock radiation did to his creator, and he is getting to the point were he might have to out his creators identity to the only people that can save him, and that is other heroes.***

* * *

It had been five weeks since Oliver's near death experience and Chloe was very worried about him going out looking for the Skull because all reports indicated that he had become increasingly more dangerous. He is not throwing piety criminals in jail anymore he was actually hanging them in the streets, shooting them dead, or worse torture to get information out of them. If the Skull wanted to he could take any one of her teammates and torture them until they gave up the location of each and every member of this League of Heroes. The one thing that she did not want too lose was her best friend and the man she loved, even though she would never admit it to Oliver but she loved him. She looked around at the rest of the heroes and said, "The Skull is too powerful he has the ability to heal and absorb the energy around him and use that energy around him. Not to mention he is being supplied by a recluse as of late, who is perhaps the fifth expert in the world on advance weaponry and bio technology." Carter Hall replied, "But we should bring the hurt to him he can not attack all of us." Oliver said, "Speaking on first hand experience but he can and he will kill us all if he believes we have turned to the side of evil." Jones sat there in silence trying to come up with a solution to the problem, since Clark was absent dealing with the Kandorian situation. He then had an idea, "We need to reach him he would be a valuable asset against the fight that we will have to face with the Kandorians. He could take a beating from a Kryptonian easily and use that ten times over." Oliver said, "I have a feeling if he is smart or Drake is smart they already know about the Kandorians, which means they will be making plans against them." Chloe also couldn't believe that a friend she knew back at Smallville high a man that could have changed to be such an evil and heartless man to let an animal like the Skull loose on the world. As she was thinking this all of a sudden Watchtower got hacked and she tried desperately to stop the hack. Oliver asked, "Kandorians?" Chloe said, "No." Carter then asked, "Checkmate's back." Chloe said, "No this is way more advanced that any of those two forces, it's like it's an artificial intelligence." Then a voice echoed through the speakers at Watchtower and it said, "I would like to be called I.O.N." Oliver said, "I.O.N that's not much of a name?" I.O.N zoomed the camera on Oliver and said, "Oliver Queen as the Green Arrow I should have suspected as much being that you dress in green, have access to money to fund your gadgets." Carter said, "Who do you work for?" I.O.N zoomed another camera in on Carter Hall and said, "Hall, Carter a man who lead the Justice Society of America, alter ego Hawkman and I work for the man you call the Skull." Jones says, "You know about us how?" I.O.N says, "You are an interesting life form not human or Kryptonian but Martian by your DNA. To answer your questions Detective Jones I.O.N which I like to be called stands for Interactive Operating Network. My creator first created me as a super computer that was able to connect to any database world wide, even governments without them knowing. Later my creator gave me a body so I could learn from interaction; my creator I believe wants me to act more human. However, when I need to I can go back to my original body the super computer and do my function, that is how I know about you Checkmate has detailed files and I did a DNA scan of your body and crossed referenced it with known elements found on the 28 known galaxies in the universe." Chloe says, "You creator does he know you are talking to us?" I.O.N turned to Chloe and says, "Chloe Sullivan, Smallville High graduate, ran the Torch, moved to Metropolis to be a write but did not success. No he doesn't. My creator is my father and I can not bare seeing my father go down the dark path that he is on. I call upon you heroes to help me save him from himself. He is coming…..I will be in touch." I.O.N let Watchtower back into the control of the heroes and Oliver says, "That's interesting he has his own robot." At that moment Chloe put things together and snuck out before anybody saw that she was gone.

* * *

Drake had moved back to his farm to get away from the suspecting prying eyes that he felt all around him. He had to work in secret at this moment he had realized that he needed to strike the final blow to Tess Mercer tonight. He needed to see her suffer like he suffered and he was going to make sure that she could never go out in public again without remembering what she did to him. I.O.N said, "Sir you have been acting darker each day that you step into your alter ego or use your powers. I believe they are starting to go to your head." Drake rationally knew that I.O.N was right but he was not thinking rationally now was he; all he was thinking about was getting his revenge. Who knew who he would turn to all he could see was the evil that was all around him, no one was innocent not even the heroes. He worked on the bomb that would blow Tess Mercer's house to the grown leaving her scared for life with acid burns, salt would be sprayed in the wounds, burns period, in other words she would be so burned the only way to indentify her would be through her dentil records. Luckily, he had his synthetic mask on and glasses as when a voice from his past echoed in the barn door. He turned to find Chloe Sullivan standing in the door way a girl he had a crush on since Freshmen year. He said, "Chloe I am not taking visitors I'm sure you obviously known that if you read the papers." Chloe said, "Is that anyway to treat your old lab buddy?" Drake got a feeling in his gut that she was poking around her for some other reason than just to be worried about him and to play catch up. "Oh really, its been four or five years since we graduated from Smallville high and you pick now to check up on me? Something tells me that you are here for another reason entirely." Chloe said, "I know that you are working with the Skull and that you built a robot for him called I.O.N." He turned into the direction that I.O.N was hiding and he said, "Deactivation code 696." I.O.N shut down and laid dormant and Chloe saw finally and then said, "Better yet I know that you are not working with the Skull and you just proved it." She grabbed for his glasses and their staring at her where the dark holes where eyes should be. He then ripped the synthetic skin off his face and his dark holes began glowing read as blood and then he took the voice convertor of his neck and his voice turned demonic and unearthly, and he said, "Chloe you should not have done that." Chloe took of running but Drake pulled the Colt M1911 off the desk and shoot and blowing Chloe's knee cap to pieces. She cried out in pain and then nothing as she passed out from the blood loss. He also then took a wrench and started beatting her over and over again as blood splatered everywhere.

* * *

It was about midnight a the old Luthor Mansion now home to Tess Mercer and she was getting ready to settle in for the night. As he entered her bedroom however, there sitting in a chair with two M1911 pistols pointing at her was the Skull. She said, "So death has finally come for me?" The Skull chuckled and says, "Death comes for us all, I am the man who seeks to bring justice to the wicked." Mercer said, "You could have fooled me." The Skull replied and said, "Oh your guards dead broke their necks as I walked right in here, it's just you and me." Under the bed he had placed his little care present for Tess and she said, "Why are you doing this to me?" He could see the fear in her eyes, the fear that she knows her time is come and he replied, "You killed Drake Lionheart and turned him into a monster." Her eyes widened and she heard the click of a bomb and dove out the door the explosion blew the Skull out the door but damaged Tess Mercer to the point were she was knocked unconscious. The Skull dusted himself off and walked way knowing that he had failed in his attempt to put an end her and give her judgment over to a higher power. As he was walking to his bike the Blur stepped in front of him and since there was light where he was standing he could finally see who the Blur was. There standing in front of him was Clark Kent his best friend from high school, and he thought to himself no wonder your parents were so secretive when mysterious things happened around this town. The Skull said, "You want to stop me when you play God everyday saving people's life Clark or shall you go by your Kryptonian name Kal-El." Clark looked shocked how does he know me and how does he know about me being from Krypton. He said, "How do you know all of that?" The Skull said, "Well I am very good at what I do and I like to know the person who keeps getting in my way." He showed the necklace that Chloe had on that day and said, "Also you are the company you keep." The Skull started to laugh demonically and Clark lost it he saw the necklace stained with blood. He rushed the Skull with all his strength and punched breaking the jaw off and sending him flying into a tree shattering to dust. Seconds later the Skull returned and reattached his jaw and said, "My turn!" He punched Clark clear into space but Clark came crashing down on top of the Skull. The Skull punched Clark sending blood spewing from his mouth. Clark then used his strength to send Skull into the woods where their fight would not hurt the recovery effort of those inside the Luthor Mansion. The Skull kicked Clark in the gut breaking Clark's ribs; Clark realized this was the first time since his battle with Doomsday that he has felt pain. Clark and the Skull matched each punch and kick the other was making however; Clark was the worst for wares even though he could withstand the attack. It was tiring him out because the Skull would match ten times the force he applied. The Skull was resting against a tree spitting blood from his internal organs as he took off the tech suit that exploded and he said, 'You'll pay for that." As Clark raced realizing that the suit was giving him that extra punch he felt weak, really weak and look and saw green meteor rock. The Skull saw this and said, "So you are allergic to piece of your shattered forgotten world!" The Skull absorbed all the energy that was in those rocks turning them into clear crystal. He touched Clark forcing the radiation into him as he did, Clark heart began to slow and nothing all went blank.

* * *

Drake instead of returning to the farm returned to his office to begin repairs on his chest plate and rest as he had exhausted himself with his friend. As he entered his lab he saw a picture of Chloe and Clark with him and he tossed it against the wall and said, "I realized that all the world is against me. In the back of his mind he knew this was not right Clark is your friend, Chloe oh god what did you do to her. However, that's not how he was thinking something was making him think ill rationally. Drake said, "I now realize that the heroes of Metropolis have been led astray by an alien pretending to be human. I will send them all to their maker and let him judge them." He began working alone on an advanced model of the chest plate.

* * *

Six day later at Watchtower Clark had finally awoken from his sleep and he said, "How did I get back here?" Jones said, "I sensed you were in trouble so I rushed you back here, luckily Dr. Hamilton was able to revive you it took you six days to heal Kal-El but you'll be fine. What happened?" Clark saw Oliver and was half expecting to see Chloe there but he remembered the necklace and he said, "Oliver I'm sorry……Chloe was killed. I guess she found out who the Skull was and went alone to confront him." Oliver got up and walked into a corner, he now wanted revenge the Skull killed the woman he loved, and he never got to tell her. The others could sense the frustration in Oliver as did the rest of the team. Chloe had brought them together and kept hold of the team long after they tried to run and hide. Now some psycho killed her. Jones said, "His robot or creation wants to help save him, but we haven't heard from in six days." Carter said, "We have to assume then that the Skull found out about I.O.N's involvement, so what is the plan now." Oliver said, "We go now find this son of a bitch and we kill him like he killed Chloe." Clark said, "I miss Chloe just as much as you do but we must try to save him at all cost, there is good in all people they just in the light to show them the way." Jones said, "Kal-El is right at one point he must have been good." They went on to talk about what the game plan was but Oliver already knew what he was going to do. As soon as they find the Skull he was going to kill him or die trying.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

Two weeks passed and the Skull had not been seen for days, most people in Metropolis were glad that the murderous psycho was not at large. However, for Clark and his team knew that it was just a matter of time before the Skull would come and find the heroes and kill them all. There was another pressing matter to attend to and that was the fact that there had been no sign of Chloe's body. Clark was slowly regaining his strength after his battle with the Skull but the blast of kryptonite energy that the Skull gave him two weeks prior. Oliver had not been seen since the news of Chloe's death there was a serious suspicion that he wanted blood, but Clark knew that if Oliver faced the skull, the Skull would put Oliver in a grave next to Chloe. Carter Hall walked in and said, "We have searched the city high and low and no one had seen anything of Chloe's body. It might be safe to say that the Skull vaporized her." John Jones said, "Which is lucky on her part if she was." Clark was there at watchtower combing through footage of the Skull through every traffic cam and security camera. Then he saw it something that must have clued Chloe in to who the Skull was. Clark knew that his friends and teammates would not understand but he had to confront the Skull on his own turf.

* * *

Chloe finally managed to get out of the box her face broken and bruised, blood and tears still on her face. She had lost a lot of blood and the only person that could possibly help her was a robot who Drake had deactivated. How could Drake have changed that much maybe it was the powers that he had acquired that caused him to go down the dark road of being a murderous psycho. She finally managed to play all scenarios out in her head and finally realized that Tess Mercer must have been the cause of all the problems that Drake was facing. She couldn't help but stare at his face, what had Tess Mercer done him and how could he survive like that. Then she realized that would make her go crazy to look at your face in the mirror and all you saw was a skull staring back at you. She finally made it to I.O.N and started to look at the piece of paper in his hand with the activation codes to his circuits. She thought to herself that I.O.N knew what his creator would do to you if he found out that you were helping us. She said the activation code and I.O.N started to activate and said, "Ms. Sullivan I knew you were smart enough to realize that I would always have a back up plan, your injuries seem server and you have lost a lot of blood." He picked her up and put him in the SUV and put some synthetic skin and a suit on so he could look as human as possible. He drove her to Metropolis General he requested Emil Hamilton to give her a check up. The Doctor came and said, "Where did you find her Mister?" I.O.N said, "That does not matter at the moment but she has internal bleeding and I would recommend getting her to ICU as quick as possible." As he turned the Martian John Jones was standing behind him and he said, "Who are you because I read most people but you?" I.O.N said, "You know me as I.O.N this synthetic skin allows me move about the city as a human, as your ability to transform allows you to do the same." Jones said, "So who is your master." Oliver came in and said, "Is this who found Chloe?" I.O.N said, "You infatuation with Chloe Sullivan will get you into trouble one of these days, Mr. Queen. You know me as I.O.N my creator almost killed Miss Sullivan but I was able to keep my reactivation code in a place where if Miss Sullivan was able to she could reactivate me." Queen rushed to try to get into the ICU but could not and Jones said, "We are incredible grateful for the assistance you gave in returning Chloe to us. Now who is your creator's true identity?" I.O.N glanced at Oliver Queen and said, "I am not at liberty to say at this time but if you permit me I can aid you in the Watchtower until Miss Sullivan is able to take her rightful place back at Watchtower." He walked in and once in the car took off his skin and drove in the direction of Watchtower to aid the heroes in protecting the city. However, he could guess by the irrational state that Oliver Queen was in that he was going to hunt down the Skull. He knew with his creator's powers that it would be futile quest being that the Skull was almost to the point of being indestructible. However, I.O.N knew that it was the meteor rock radiation that was causing him to go insane, with this whole vengeance trip and taking it further by killing anyone who had done wrong. I.O.N knew another thing that the heroes did not know was that very soon the Skull would do an ultimate act that will cause the city to be in anarchy because he knew humans under fear had no rational mind at all.

* * *

Drake was hard at work in his laboratory working on the bomb he was preparing for the celebration this weekend. He knew that Tess Mercer was going to be there and that the city council was going to be there as well to open the new civic center. Drake figured that the people hurt by the bomb were casualties of war, the city council he knew that most of them were deep in the pockets of either the mob or other business men and women. Their deaths will show the people that the Skull was after everyone not just the piety criminals but those who do evil on to others. He had finished preparations on his new suit, which was powered by a meteor rock center just in case Clark got in his head to try and stop him in the near future. He knew that Clark survived he had stayed behind to watch who came to the rescue and it was the Green Arrow. He was in the process of trying to find out who the Green Arrow was and once he did he was going to go after him next. He was so lost in thought that he did not hear he bookshelf get ripped off its hinges or the steel door that led to his lab get ripped open. He did not budge from what he was doing until he heard Clarks voice, "Drake why are you doing?" Drake turned around and Clark saw Drake's skull. Drake said, "Well look at me my friend? I'm a freak. Tess Mercer needs to pay for what she did to me. Granted I had some meta human DNA which is the ability to heal at a rapid rate that was activated by the explosion that happened in here. However, the fragments of your home planet gave the ability to absorb energy, now that is a great advantage." He was making his way very carefully to the chest plate so he could put it on and make Clark very much dead. Clark said, "You could use those abilities to save lives not kill, even those who have done the worst crimes imaginable deserve to live." Drake laughed as he managed to put on the chest plate and said, "Well then what will happen most of them will be back on the streets in a matter of months and doing what they were doing before you put them in jail. My form of justice is the right form of justice you send them to get judged by a higher authority." He also managed to slip behind Clark and he thought to himself what a great chance to test to see if this new tech suit will work. He fired a blast from the chest plate and it hit Clark in the back sending him falling to the nearest wall. Drake walked to where he was and said, "Like my improvements to the tech suit." Clark stumbled to his feet obviously weak from the blast and he said, "You killed Chloe, are you going to kill me too?" Drake thought about it for a second and said, "Yes, see I can not let you ruin my plans Tess Mercer must pay before you heroes pay for not doing what needs to be done. There is blood on your hands as much as any criminals." Clark goes to punch him but Drake fires a shot from his new tech suit such a blast that makes Clark fall to ground screaming in pain. Drake said, "I won't kill you yet but I will make you watch as the city falls in total anarchy, it will force you heroes to do what needs to be done to preserve the peace." Drake continued the blast until Clark passed out from the blast and Drake said, "You owe me a bookshelf and a door Clark." He took the tech suit off and placed it on the rack and went back to work on the bomb he was working on. Then he realized he needed to keep Clark sedated so he devised a cage that anytime Clark tried to use his powers, it would send a dose of meteor rock energy at him. Drake chuckled to himself and went to work on his new project.

* * *

Across town at the Daily Planet Lois Lane was calling Clark for what seemed to be hours, but he did not pick up. Lois knew in the pit of her stomach that was something was wrong with Clark; he always picked up his phone. She decided to call one more time and Drake decided to pick up this time and he said, "Hello Miss Lane, I'm sorry Clark is very indisposed right now." Lois thought who is this creep that hurt Clark, and once she found him he would be in a whole lot of hurt. Drake said, "This is the Skull Miss Lane, I want you to write an article in the Daily Planet that states an invitation to all heroes to be part of my grand plan for the safety of Metropolis." Lois said, "Well Skull you're a murderer and psycho now what have you done with Clark?" Drake laughed and said, "I guess you care a lot about Clark to be so definite to a person who could honestly kill him." Lois stood her ground and knew that she can not show any emotion what so ever, "Okay, if I do this will you release Clark?" Drake said, "Only after I see the article and my plan has taken shape. By the way you might want to check to see if your cousin's okay because she found out who I really was and I beat her really badly." Lois said, "What ever you did to her, if I ever see you I will make sure to return the favor." Drake turned the dial on his cage control to level ten sending a burst of energy at Clark sending him screaming in pain. Lois said, "Alright….alright, I'll do the article just don't hurt Clark." Drake said, "Very good Miss Lane I knew that you would see it my way eventually, you are very stubborn." He hung up the phone and Lois almost broke down for a while but she remembered something the General said and she told her self people that you care about need you. First thing she did was call Oliver and he said, "How did you know about that?" Lois said, "Well, the Skull has Clark and he is keeping him until I do something and some master plan he is cooking up for Metropolis. What happened to Chloe?" Oliver said, "I do not know really just only thing I do know is that once I find the Skull he will wish I hadn't. She went to find the Skull, apparently she found out who the Skull was and tried to confront him and well the Skull beat her to death. She's in really bad shape I'm having specialist flown out to take a look at her. She'll be okay Lois I promise." Lois hung up and got to work on the article that the Skull wanted.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

***Note to all my readers thank you for reading my story and just to let you know there will be a sequel to my story coming as soon as I complete this one. Some of you have given me great reviews and I would like to thank you for them, and to the person who said I gave them inspiration it was no problem glad to help. Just another little side note before the story continues I would like to note that the characters of I.O.N, Drake Lionheart, and The Skull are purely my creation. The events that take place in this story does have key elements from Smallville Season 9 just to give it a real feel to it, but I assume that most of you have guess that but just in case I wanted to clarify that. Also, to my readers I know awhile back I said there would be ten chapters that was just an estimate, it looks like their will be two more chapters till this story is done with. I am also curious if you please write a review stating which character you have liked through my story it would be very helpful when I prepare the sequel to this story, I will add more parts for that character in my story or if I left out a character please feel free to say so, so that I can make the sequel even better than my first story.***

* * *

As the morning edition of the Daily Planet hit the newsstands people began to fear the worst. As people read a front page story by Lois Lane people began to believe that the Skull was coming back. He had previously given a letter and phone call to Lois Lane the night before giving her instructions that she was to write this article. Now in the article a copy of the letter was posted and this is what the Skull said:

_I am calling out all the heroes of the city of Metropolis. Despite our differences that we have had since I arrived in Metropolis, I am willing to let bygones be bygones and give you one more chance to redeem yourselves for the blood that is on your hands. You either join me or you doom yourselves to walk a path paved in the blood of innocent people. During the opening of the civic center the heroes are advised to stay away, which means I should see no heroes there or even smell them. The heroes will then let me do my job and rid the city of its corrupt leadership and unethical business practices. If the heroes do not abided by my request then they will suffer the fate that all who have blood on their hands face, and will be sent to be judge by a much higher authority than I. To the citizens of Metropolis do not be afraid of what I am about to do, for once I have completed my mission the city can be able to heal from the sins that it has created. Then Metropolis can be a shining city of peace and prosperity and the world can look to our example._

_The Skull_

As people read the haunting words of the Skull, fear gripped their hearts many of Metropolis's citizens began looting. Many of them took their families and tried to evacuate the city fearing that The Skull would do a devastating act of violence. On the news that afternoon the Mayor said, "People the best way to help the city is stay in your homes and do not let the ravings of a lunatic affect your daily lives. However, that being said the rest of the city council and I, along with the various business leaders will be at the opening at the Civic center. We do invite you to come and witnessed and hope that we show the Skull that we aren't afraid of him or his ravings." Drake sat there watching the news report and the mayor's announcement and said, "Lunatic I am not a lunatic I am very sane, I will bring an era of peace to this city that no one has ever had. Once that bomb goes off the mayor and the corrupt leadership will be gone, along with Tess Mercer." Clark said weakly as he had been zapped many times by Drake's device said, "Drake I'm your friend Chloe was your friend we are trying to help you. The meteor rocks are affecting your mind, long with your disability. Please we have people than can help you, get cured of the meteor rock radiation and maybe find away to heal your skin back to your Skull." Drake said, "I am seeing things much clearly now Clark, you might be from another planet. Yes I know other wise why would you get sick, no human being would get sick from these meteor rocks the radiation factor is too low. Yes it alters DNA but we don't die from it. But a person from the planet these bad boys came from has a high enough radiation factor to kill them." He turned the dial to level twenty and zapped Clark again making him pass out. Drake turned off the TV and went to work on his bomb, he figured the blast radius would take out two blocks worth of the city, which was a price he had to risk to save city from its sins.

* * *

Meanwhile at Luthor Corp Tess Mercer began to pace her office as she realized that she had to go to the civic center being that she had paid off most of the city council when she wanted to build the solar tower. However, now there was a real danger to her life the Skull or Drake had gotten passed her security and she knew that Drake was smart enough to hide whatever he was planning to where no one would find it. She knew that she had to turn to Oliver and the other heroes to protect her and the city. Oliver walked in and said, "This not the time Mercy I am not here for your stupid games." Tess said, "Oliver you have got to help me, The Skull is after me." Oliver said, "Tell me something I don't know, you caused this some how I just haven't figured out how yet?" Tess said, "I know we have had our differences with Checkmate problems and Kandorians but please the Skull can't be stopped and he is out to get me." Oliver said, "Well you should have thought of that before you started to dig your own grave with all these problems." He was about to get up to leave and she said, "I know who he is." Oliver stopped and turned and said, "Who?" Tess said, "Promise you will protect me?" Oliver said, "Okay, who is he?" Tess said, "Drake Lionheart, I hired someone to kill him and he found a secret lab that he was doing research and he set a grenade off in it and exploded. Somehow Drake survived and looked like that." Oliver then realized the technology the robot, all the puzzles fit and then he realized Chloe must have found out and tried to reason with him. Oliver said, "Alright, I'll protect you." Oliver stormed off to Watchtower to confront I.O.N who had been working night and day to find a cure for his creator. However, the cure that Oliver had in store was a permanent end to The Skull something that the Skull himself would appreciate, Oliver would send him to a higher authority.

* * *

At Watchtower John Jones watched I.O.N as he scrolled through thousands of research theories about meteor rock radiation and how to cure them. Jones said, "I.O.N tell me have you read all of those theories in a matter of seconds." I.O.N stopped and said, "Milliseconds to be more accurate." The I.O.N went back to reading as Jones walked off and Oliver stormed in grabbing I.O.N and said, "Tell me what your creator Drake is up to!" I.O.N grabbed Oliver and lifted him up and said, "I am sorry Mister Queen that you have found out who my creator is but I do not know what he is planning sadly he has blocked my access from Lionheart industries computers." Oliver winced in pain as I.O.N set him down and Oliver said, "He tried to kill Chloe do you care at all of what he is going to do to the city." I.O.N said, "Alas Mister Queen I can not, even though I strive to be more human I do not have the emotions that a human has. However, I do view his actions to be a calculation of what you humans call wrong." Oliver said, "Then try to help us stop him." I.O.N said, "Judging by your heart rate and pupil dilation I can tell that you like my creator have the same goal, as my creator is trying to stop the city from corruption. You want to hurt my creator for what he did to Ms. Sullivan that I can not allow." He grabs Oliver by the jacket and tosses him out as Jones stood their and laughed and said, "You might not have emotion but you show love toward your father, that is a human trait." I.O.N tilted his head and said, "Martian as I said I can not have emotions, however I need your assistance to gather materials that I can make for a cure to the radiation sickness produced by the meteor rocks. This will also stop my creator from absorbing the energy around him and make him start thinking with a rational mind." Jones said, "What about the tech suit he wears?" I.O.N said, "By now he would have made mortifications to it that I do not know, and the cure will take hours or it could take minutes. I will show you the weaknesses of the old suit and hopefully they are still there." The two began to work on the cure as I.O.N thought of the word emotion and if it is true what the Martian had said.


	8. Chapter 8

Drake was cleaning his weapons he was prepared for the day's events. While he was doing that Clark was almost to death, as the cage that he was in was zapping him of his powers and life. Drake then made the finishing touches on the bomb, he was going to kill everyone in that square to show them that justice is not blind, justice will be the face of a skull. He grabbed the nuclear material and placed it in the bomb, then tightened the bolts so they were nice and tight. He then used a teleporter to teleport it to a secret place under the ground of the stage. He turned to Clark and said, "I have officially set the plan into motion, as soon as the mayor gives his speech tomorrow I will detonate the bomb. That will kill two birds with one stone, Tess Mercer and the City Council. Clark looked at him weakly and said, "Violence is not the answer, you do not have to kill to be hero, with your powers you could do great things." Drake smiled and bent down and said, "What and be like you? Someone that hides in the shadows because he is afraid of coming out to be a symbol. I am a symbol based on fear; fear is the only way to get the people of this city to take it back from those who do evil to others. You and your friends have blood on their hands, because you will not take the initiative to do what is needed to be done." Clark just shut his eyes, and Drake brought him back to life and kept him in the cage. Just as an arrow was shot through Drake's chest and he fell to his knees. Oliver came in and stood in front of Drake and said, "You want to talk about blood on people's hands, and then look at yours?" Drake just laughed and stood up as Oliver saw the wound he had just made heal on his own. Drake said, "I cannot die you idiot." He took Oliver out of his lab and threw him out of the window and said, "However, you can die." He laughed and went back to the lab and put on his chest plate and put on a black shirt and tie, butting his leather trench coat on and said, "Clark, as soon as the bomb goes off, the cage is wired to emit energy a huge blast of meteor radiation. Which means when I return you will be dead." Drake walked out and went to his car and drove to the site of the celebration.

* * *

Meanwhile back at Watchtower John and I.O.N were busy working on a cure for Drake's power to absorb energy. They knew they could never cure him of the ability to heal himself, because that was part of his DNA. I.O.N said, "The chemical that he was using, was highly volatile and when that assassin tried to kill him he ignited him. So since he was near the chemicals and when they came into contact with him, it must have done something to his body." Jones said, "Or it could be the fact that the meteor rocks that he was studying was at the time had altered him to the point that he could absorbed the energy around him." I.O.N was silent for several hours and said, "Yes that is possible if that is the case, we can cure him. I have been working a chamber that could extract the meteor rock radiation, and cure those infected by it. My father had arranged test subjects from Belle View, but initial test proved fatal to normal humans." Jones replied, "But Drake is not normal he has metahuman DNA, which makes him immortal." I.O.N did some more calculations and said, "Yes, all simulations that I have just run has proven to indicate that he would survive." Jones smiled and said, "Where is the chamber?" I.O.N said, "In a warehouse, we will need to get it. Then we will need to lure my father here and force him in." Jones was off to get it. As I.O.N went to check on Chloe who was still under his watchful care even though he was busy doing the tests to cure his father.

* * *

At the celebration Drake sat next to Tess Mercer. Tess turned toward Drake and whispered, "Whatever you are doing, don't?" Drake just turned to her and said, "You disfigured me beyond belief and for that you die. For the council being allies of you, they die. The blood of the innocent must be avenged." Tess tried to run but before she realized it, she saw that she was handcuffed to the chair as they mayor got up to say his speech. Drake just sat there patiently with his fake skin and sunglasses watching and waiting.

* * *

Back at Lionheart Industries, Oliver climbed back through the and said, "He is dead." Then he remembered Clark in the cage, he found the hidden panel in the bookshelf and got Clark out of the cage and soon as he was away from the Kryptonite he started to regain his strength and powers back. Clark then said, "We needed to get to Drake he's got to be stopped." Clark raced on to find Drake.

* * *

Just as Clark was there so was Jones and he said, "We have a cure. We need to get Drake to Watchtower." Clark nodded and Oliver said, "No we've got to kill him." Clark knocked him out and that is when Drake looked up and got up and made his transformation into the Skull. Jumping up to the rooftop and saying, "You should have stayed away Clark, I guess I will have to kill you myself." The two men rushed him but Drake just shot Jones and then turned his attention to Clark, just as Clark grabbed him. Drake just grabbed his hair and slammed him to the ground and said, "Clark, I absorb energy and force is a form of energy you idiot. Besides I made modifications to my armor, so that it can match you in every way." Clark used his heat vision but Drake just walked right into it absorbing every minute Clark used. Then he sent the energy back at Clark using ten times the energy. Drake laughed as Clark laid on the ground and said, "You lose Clark, I win." He got down on his knee and started to beat Clark over and over again. Blood began to pool on the ground as Drake finished and said, "I guess you weren't that invulnerable." He then stood on the edge of the roof, just as Oliver woke up and Drake heard the sound of his bow being drawn back and Drake shot him in the hand. Before Drake could turn around Hawkman flew down and knocked the Skull on the ground. The Skull said, "I should have killed your defense, the bird boy." Drake jumped and grabbed Hawkman making him plump it to the ground. Drake got off Hawkman's back and went back to watch the crowd below, and went to reach for the detonator, till he heard, "Drake, you threw." He turned around and saw Clark holding the detonator and Drake said, "I have a failsafe device if in case of this particular scenario occurred." Clark looked in horror and said, "What is it?" Drake said, "A timer, I should have detonated the by now. So know there a timer for thirty minutes set and then the bomb goes off." The Skull rushed Clark and pushed him into the ground and said, "Why don't you die." Then he was knocked out by someone unknown to him. It was I.O.N and he said, "I calculated the rate of you would have Kal-El and determined that you would not win against him. I also tried to deactivate the bomb but Drake is the only one that will deactivate the bomb." They took Drake's body and went to Watchtower.

* * *

Back at Watchtower they prepared to put Drake into the Chamber. As they put him in the chamber he woke up and said, "You are all dead, you have about fifteen minutes till the bomb goes off and you will not be able to turn it off." Oliver said, "I'm really getting sick of hearing this guy talk." I.O.N said, "As soon as we draw the meteor radiation out of his body, he will be back to normal. Theory is that his healing power will make his skin graft back to his face." He nodded at Jones and he turned on the first part of the process. Which was filling the tank up with water, Drake began to pound on the tank. Then I.O.N activated the second part of the process, which was to pulse ionic energy into the water. Drake began to absorb the energy as the process began to be very painful; I.O.N monitored how much energy he was absorbing he then realized that he was at his max. Meteor radiation began to irradiate from his body, causing Clark to have to step out into the hall. I.O.N and Jones had to do the next step at the same time, they both turned keys and electricity began to flow through the tank and the meteor energy and chemicals went into the water, as it began to get drained into a lead container. Drake lay hunched over in the tank, I.O.N opened the container, as Drake's face began to heal and he said, "I.O.N where are we?" I.O.N realized that he had no memory since the explosion. I.O.N said, "Sir, I will explain everything, but you need to go deactivate the bomb." Clark took Drake to an ally and Drake raced under the stage and Tess then screamed, "There is a bomb under the stage." Just then Clark got Tess off the stage, as a huge explosion happened leaving just a creator. Clark then began to search for Drake but could not find him.

* * *

Five weeks passed and the city of Metropolis returned to normal. Back at Watchtower, Chloe was looking at her senior yearbook remembering how Drake use to be, before the meteor rock turned him into a monster. Just then she heard a voice from the shadows and said, "I always loved that picture of us, you, me, and Clark." Chloe jumped and turn and said, "We thought you were dead?" Drake said, "My metahuman ability keeps me alive, but I.O.N and I needed to talk." Chloe said, "About?" Drake said, "About what I did under the influence of those powers. I have figured out that I need to stay dead. To the world Drake Lionheart will die in a lab accident. I am leaving everything to I.O.N, which is named Xander. All the while I will being traveling the world, looking to fight the demons that I have inside." Chloe said, "You are just going to run away from you powers?" Drake said, "I am looking on how to use my abilities? However I have demons inside me that might come out and besides I really need some time to think?" Chloe said, "How is this helping?" Drake smiled and said, "I.O.N is very interested in helping you and the rest here at Watchtower. He is finding the heroism a strange new topic for him that is helping him grow more, as you know he wants to be more human." Chloe said, "It would be good to have help, but you still have to make amends." Drake said, "I will and when you need me the most I will be there to help, but until then Drake Lionheart is dead." He went back into the shadows and was gone.

As Drake left the city, on the Motorcycle he thought about his past. He remembered that he wanted to with his life; he was going to accomplish this. However, he must conquer his inner demons but he would return, and he would help his friends.


End file.
